See Through Masks
by FlashDrive
Summary: [AU] [SasuNaru] Naruto Uzumaki is living life as he always does, attending Konoha Catholic Academy while dealing with his messed up past. But when Sasuke Uchiha arrives, he brings with him a lot of changes...and not all of them are good.
1. Chapter One: Enter the Victims

**Author's Note:** Well, people, this is my second attempt at a _Naruto_ story, so I hope it's good... No one seemed to like the first attempt much, but it was a new style of writing I was trying. The near-poetic type—but who knows? Maybe it just sucked... :Sweatdrop: Just a heads up, by the way, there won't be any lemons on this site, but the link to lemony goodness is in my profile as my 'homepage.' It's my LJ. XD There's already something on there, so check it out if you want.

Oh, and just to let you guys know ahead of time:

Most of the character are (or WILL BE) seventeen in this story. It's like that for a reason. But I can't tell you now, or it would ruin most of the plot. XD Just so you know:

Sasuke – 17 (July 23)

Naruto – 16 (October 10)

Gaara – 16 (January 19)

They're really the only ones who matter...but if you want to know everyone (and trust me, I mean EVERYONE...right down to Kotetsu and Izumo) then let me know. X3

**Chapter One Warnings:** Swearing, fighting (descriptive, but nothing too bad...), and _slight_ yaoi (nothing really interesting as of now).

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Naruto_. I _do_, however, own a chainsaw. So if anyone feels the need to sue me, remember that little fact.

**See-Through Masks**

**Chapter One: Enter the Victims...**

"_Life is the most dangerous thing on earth, none has survived."_

—_Per S._

**OoOoO**

If there was one thing that Naruto Uzumaki hated, it was mornings.

He hated everything about them: waking up, getting dressed, hygiene...

Which was why, on most days, he didn't have mornings. He made a habit of waking up in the afternoon, because, in his mind, that was better than any morning.

Unfortunately, on that particular day, he had to wake up in the _morning_.

"Ugh." He let out a grunt as he sat up, stretching his arms high above his head. He leaned his head over to glare at his alarm clock. "Eleven... Still too early." He slapped the alarm off.

"Naruto?" Said boy looked to his insomniac friend of five years, Gaara Sabaku. "Isn't your appointment at eleven?"

Naruto blinked. Once, twice, and...

"Oh, shit!" He jumped up from his bed, flinging the covers aside. As soon as his feet hit the floor, he tripped over several dirty magazines he had been looking at the night before.

Gaara stared at him dully, watching as Naruto turned bright red and shoved the magazines under his bed. He jumped back up and grabbed a T-shirt. Eyeing it suspiciously, he raised the shirt to his nose and sniffed it once. Deeming it acceptable, he threw it on and grabbed his jeans—they were faded and blue, with holes, rips, and ink-designs on them—and tugged them on quickly.

He tore into the bathroom, slamming the door behind him. He quickly brushed his teeth and hair, and splashed water on his face before bolting back out the door.

Gaara, not looking up from the website he was browsing, held up the blonde's tan messenger bag—which was adorned with pins of his favourite bands. Naruto grinned at him, running up and grabbing the bag.

_Good thing I showered last night,_ he thought to himself. He cleared his throat, whipped the door open, and stepped out. He turned back to Gaara, sent him a military salute, which was completely ignored by the redhead, and slammed the door.

**OoOoO**

Sasuke Uchiha hated cafeteria food. He always had, and he would continue to until he was on his deathbed. He grimaced as the slimy food slid down his throat. _Only __**this**__ cafeteria could make dry waffles slimy..._

There was a clatter as a tray was dropped onto the table. He looked up, spotting a boy his age sitting down across from him, before going back to observing his food that was apparently quite interesting.

"Sasuke Uchiha?" the boy asked. He picked up his toast and munched on it.

Sasuke glared up at the brunette. He vaguely noted that the boy resembled a chimpanzee. Squinty eyes with beady black irises, big ears, a small nose, a wide smirk, unruly black hair...

Yes, Zaku Abumi looked like a monkey.

He raised an eyebrow at Zaku—his silent response. _Let's see what monkey-boy wants._

"Hey, hey," Abumi said, smirk not letting up, "just checking."

_Apparently evolution skipped him in more ways than one._ Sasuke resisted the very strong urge to roll his eyes and looked back down at his waffles as he stabbed them with his fork. He used his knife to rip one of them apart, before moving on to section it into smaller pieces. He had no intention of eating any more.

"So, are you anorexic as well as gay?"

Sasuke froze, his fork right above a small piece of waffle. He shifted his deadly glare up to the cocky, monkey look-alike before him. _Either this boy is incredibly stupid (which is most likely the case), or he has excellent sources._

"I'll take that as a yes. You know," he said, his eyes never leaving his toast, "you should probably tell your ex-boyfriends to stop blabbering about such _touchy_ topics."

_Anyone talking about me obviously has way too much free time—or is currently in college,_ Sasuke thought, using his fork to shift the food on his plate around. He vaguely considered retorting, but pushed the thought aside.

"I mean, when he starts to mention who topped who—"

Sasuke's fork clattered down onto his plate as he stood abruptly. He climbed off of the bench that was attached to the table, and threw the waffles away. He set his now-empty tray atop the trashcan with the others.

"Oh, Sasuke, just because he described your—" Sasuke cut him off by launching himself at the other boy over the table. Zaku's tray spun across the floor loudly, with toast and silverware flying everywhere. The two of them toppled over until Sasuke was straddling Zaku on the floor, his hands on his throat, choking him.

_Let's see him insult me now_, he thought smugly, though his face remained stoic.

What could Sasuke say? He had a few anger issues...

Zaku's face slowly began to turn blue as he spluttered and gasped for air. The two other students in the cafeteria ran over, pulling him off of Zaku. He wrenched his arms out of their grip as Zaku scrambled away. Sasuke latched onto his arms, planting his foot in the small of the boy's back, and pulled.

"Ahhh!" Zaku yelped, feeling his shoulders being stretched almost out of their sockets. "O-ouch! That hurts!" he howled.

Sasuke smiled sadistically, his red contacts glistening in the lighting. He pulled harder. With an audible '_pop_' Zaku's shoulders detached from their sockets. Zaku let out a scream of pain, but Sasuke did not relinquish his grip. Instead, he pulled harder.

He was almost satisfied, when two horrified teachers ripped him away from the taller student. Genma Shiranui and Raidou Namiashi continued to hold Sasuke back as Shizune, the school nurse, rushed forward to help Zaku.

"What the hell were you thinkin,' Uchiha?" Genma snapped, still grasping Sasuke's arm, even though he had stopped struggling.

_I was __**thinking**_ he thought bitterly,_ that I don't want my sexuality broadcasted around a fucking __**Catholic school**__, thankyouverymuch._

"That's it, Mr. Uchiha," Raidou said, looking at him sternly, "you're going to Principal Sarutobi."

Sasuke made a mental note to kill Raidou later.

**OoOoO**

**Author's After-Note:** Well...this was pretty fucking short, wasn't it? --; To anyone who read this before the changes: No. You did NOT imagine an entire half of a chapter. I split the original chapter one into two chapters. Because I'm evil. XD Yup. So now all the chapters are shorter BUT there will be more of them. ...A lot more.

Reviews make me love y'all!

Sid. :3


	2. Chapter Two: Unpleasant Meetings

**Author's Note:** Okay, so the quote might not make much sense now, but it will...eventually... And I mean, like, WAAAAAAY later. But it will make sense...even though none of the character really hit their mother over the head with a shovel... Just trust me, 'kay:D

**Chapter Two Warnings:** Swearing, and slight, _slight_ yaoi (nothing interesting as of now).

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Naruto_. I _do_, however, own a chainsaw. So if anyone feels the need to sue me, remember that little fact.

**See-Through Masks**

**Chapter Two: Unpleasant Meetings...**

"_Mother...? Are you there...? I love you... I never meant to hit you over the head with that shovel..."_

—"_Role Model," by Eminem._

**OoOoO**_  
_

Sasuke sat on a hard wooden chair in the centre of the principal's office, his arms crossed languidly over his chest and a bored expression set on his face. Kakashi Hatake—his guardian of four years and a family friend since before Sasuke's birth—was running late to their meeting.

Sarutobi tapped his fingers impatiently on the oaken desk, Raidou and Genma leaning against the wall by the door. Sasuke internally rolled his eyes at this tedious (_Not to mention pointless_, his mind added helpfully) meeting. He had roughed some monkey look-alike up a little, so what? The kid would live—unfortunately.

The door suddenly opened and slammed against the wall, missing Genma by inches. "Holy—Kakashi! Watch it!" he snapped, jerking the _senbon_ needle from between his lips. He grumbled irritably as Kakashi flashed him a smile behind his mask—his only indication of the grin being the upturned 'U's that were Kakashi's eyes.

The silver-haired man dropped himself gracelessly into the hard backed chair. "Sooo...what's this meeting all about, hmm?" he asked Sarutobi, looking between the aged principal and his charge.

"Sas—"

"I ripped Abumi's arms out of their sockets—can I go now?" Sasuke deadpanned.

"No, you most certainly can_not_ go, Uchiha," Genma said irately from the wall. "You're gonna sit here and explain to us _why_, exactly, you did that."

Sasuke sent the needle chewing man an icy look.

"Sasuke"—said boy turned to look at the principal with slightly less venom—"you are a transfer student, correct?"

Kakashi nodded. "We transferred just three months ago—in the middle of the last month of school, actually. Sasuke...had a falling out with a student at his previous school, so he finished eleventh grade here."

"We?" Sarutobi asked, raising an eyebrow.

"I worked at the old school—in a nearby county, actually. I was a teacher-slash-psychiatrist, just as I am here."

"I see. Well, I'm willing to let this little...incident slip, for the most part, since this is your first offence—but you will be confined to your room for one week. Five days."

Sasuke blinked at him detachedly. "Hn." He gave a little nod.

**OoOoO**

"Naruto Uzumaki, where have you been?.!" Tsunade Sannin, his guardian of eleven years, yelled. "I have been waiting here for half an hour!"

"Yeah...yeah. Calm down...old hag," he managed between pants.

"Hmmph." She sniffed, offended. "Just be glad Dr. Hatake wasn't here yet."

Naruto looked at her. "When is he _ever_ here on time?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"That may be true, but that doesn't give you the right to be late, brat," she snapped, her plucked eyebrows furrowing in irritation. She raised her index finger and poked him on the bridge of his nose, between his eyes. "Remember that. I won't be so nice next time."

Naruto rolled his eyes. "Whatever."

The door at the end of the hall banged open to reveal Kakashi Hatake, attired in baggy, black pants, a long-sleeved, black shirt (_Isn't it a bit warm for that?_ Naruto thought), a forest-green vest, and black hiking boots. He wore a dark blue bandana around his forehead with the school symbol imprinted on it, causing his hair to stick forward at an odd angle. He also wore a black mask that covered all of his mouth, cheeks, and nose. Said nose was currently buried in an orange book.

Beside him stood a surly-looking teen. The boy had midnight-black hair, maroon eyes (Naruto expected they were contacts—but he couldn't be sure), and skin white as porcelain—and it looked just as delicate, too. He wore tight, leg-hugging jeans that showed off his very feminine curves; a tight black T-shirt with the words "Sucks To Be You" splayed across it in untidy white letters; white wrappings curled around his forearms, reaching from his wrists to the very crooks of his elbows; and brand spankin' new Converse sneakers adorned his feet. His hair looked soft and silky, but was styled, in Naruto's opinion, like a chicken's ass.

_Pretty attractive, I guess_, Naruto thought with a mind-shrug. _But...he's a guy, so, no matter how feminine he looks, not my type._

"It's about time! You're almost an hour late!" Naruto yelled, pointing at Kakashi and ignoring the boy.

Tsunade cuffed him across the back of the head. "Like you're one to talk, brat," she said.

"Hey, hey—now. I have a perfectly reasonable explanation," Kakashi defended, tucking the orange novel he had been reading into one of his many vest pockets. Naruto and Tsunade stared at him. "What?"

Naruto huffed impatiently. "Are you gonna tell us your 'reasonable explanation' or not?" he demanded, using his hands to make air quotes.

"Nope," he said with a smile. The ebony-haired boy flicked him an annoyed glance. He walked over to the door to his office, slipping his keys out of another vest pocket. "Well then, Ms. Sannin, Mr. Uzumaki, come right in."

As they walked into the office, Naruto shot the student a wary glance. He was following them into his session! He crossed his arms over his chest and huffed. He plopped down in the lumpy, over-stuffed armchair in front of Kakashi's desk.

He saw the pale boy raise an eyebrow at his behaviour, but ignored him. "What the hell is this guy doing here?.!" he snapped, gesturing to the brunette.

"Ah, yes, I'm sorry. Naruto, Ms. Sannin, this is Sasuke; Sasuke, this is Naruto and Ms. Sannin." Kakashi gestured to each person in turn. "Sasuke is my charge, he has been for eleven years. He's part of the reason I was late, actually. We had a meeting with the principal."

"Whatever," Naruto grumbled. "Does he have to be here?.!"

"No, but I need to speak with him when we're through here. I would prefer he not be left alone in his room, so I hope you don't mind too much. In all honesty, I don't really _care_, but I just wanted to be sure I asked your permission."

Naruto spluttered at him. "W-Well...you don't have it! Make him leave, Kakashi!"

"I said, I wanted to _ask_ your permission. I didn't say I needed it." Kakashi sat down at his desk, opening a folder placed neatly on top of it.

Naruto barely registered Tsunade sitting down beside him. "Just let it go, brat," she said, crossing her arms.

"Fine. Let's just get this over with," Naruto growled, glaring at Sasuke.

Sasuke smirked in response.

**OoOoO**

Naruto said goodbye to Tsunade as she left the school and entered her silver Accord Sedan, slamming the door and waving to him. **(1)**

When her car was far enough away, Naruto groaned and a slapped a hand over his face. He hated his sessions with Kakashi. They always made him feel dirty—like he shouldn't be alive.

And that bastard had listened in on it, too! That was bad enough, not to mention the stares he had received from maroon-coloured eyes. Did Sasuke really find him _that_ odd?

Sasuke...

He hadn't caught a last name, but that didn't bother him terribly. He was fairly sure that it was the same Sasuke that kept turning his best-friend-slash-crush Sakura Haruno down, but he wouldn't know until she arrived at school in the fall.

He had stayed in Konoha over the summer, as he always did, because his aunt couldn't afford to house him—she worked as a substitute teacher, and that barely earned enough to keep _her_ in the house. Because Konoha was a Catholic school, they took in minors as an act of charity—such as a Catholic orphanage would. He had been dumped in the middle school version of the place when he was twelve, around the same time his fights had started. **(2)** That was when he met Gaara.

Gaara had been the classic loner: a constant scowl adorned his face, he was anorexic-skinny, he had the I-hate-my-life-and-everyone-in-it attitude. Naruto had managed to weasel his way into the redhead's life and become the best friend he'd never wanted. He had broken the boy's shell. Naruto was good at that. He'd done it before Gaara, and he'd do it again, he was sure.

Naruto was startled out of his musings when he collided with a firm chest. He fell backwards onto his ass and looked up. Orochimaru Sannin was glaring down at him, his greasy hair framing his sallow face.

"Well, well," the teacher began, making no attempt to help his nephew up, "what do we have here, Mr. Uzumaki?"

"Hello, Uncle," Naruto muttered. He stood and brushed his pants off.

Orochimaru sneered at him. "Walking into people isn't appropriate conduct, Uzumaki. I suggest you apologize."

Naruto had guessed long ago that his uncle hated him for killing the woman he loved. If that man _could_ love, that was. Orochimaru was cruel. He was mean to his students, he was mean to his fellow teachers, and he was mean to random passer-by.

"I'm sorry, Uncle," Naruto ground out, his fists clenching. He despised Orochimaru just as much as the man despised him.

"Right. Just don't let it happen again." Orochimaru walked past him, but paused to throw over his shoulder, "And stop calling me Uncle." He walked away.

Naruto stormed through the halls, glaring at the walls, floor tiling, and the occasional student. When he reached his room, he kicked the door open. He poked his head in to find Gaara at the computer, surfing the web as he usually did.

"Yo!" Naruto said, closing the door behind him, previous anger gone.

Gaara nodded to him, not turning around. He threw a dirty magazine at Naruto.

"Hmm, looking at my magazines now, eh?" Naruto asked, waggling his eyebrows. He flipped it open and started scanning it.

Gaara sent him a chilling look. "Iruka came in. He said that if he finds another one of those, he's tossing you in the church for a week and making you repent."

Naruto paled slightly and tossed the magazine under his bed. "You just let him find it?.! Why didn't you stop him?"

"What could I—" He cut himself off when Naruto swivelled his chair around and went nose-to-nose with him.

"Admit it. You were...reading my magazines!" Naruto accused, pointing at Gaara's cheek and narrowing his eyes.

Gaara blinked. "Idiot." He grabbed Naruto's hand and shoved the boy back onto his bed. He turned his chair back around. "It's rude to point," he muttered in explanation.

"Yeah, yeah." Naruto flopped back onto the bed, cushioning his head with his folded hands. "Wake me up when Kiba comes, okay?" Naruto asked, closing his eyes.

"Mm."

**OoOoO**

**Author's After-Note:** :Rereads chapter:Dies: I hate this chapter...I honest-to-God HATE this chapter... NOTHING happens in it. :Sigh: And for all you fellow Gaara-worshippers, our favourite homicidal redhead DOES get more on him in this story. He gets, like, FOUR whole fucking chapters dedicated to him. (Or more...) :Nod, nod: I love him. :Huggles Gaara:

**(1) **Here is a picture of Tsunade's car; I know it isn't all that snazzy, but I thought it fit someone like her (in this story, at least):

http / automobiles (dot) honda (dot) com / models / exterior (underscore) gallery (dot) asp (question mark) ModelName (equals sign) Accord (plus sign) Sedan (In the thumbnails, it's the second one down—purple—on the far left.)

**(2)** Konoha is a chain of schools. They have an elementary school, a middle school, and a high school.

Reviews make want to be nicer to the characters...

Sid. :3


	3. Thirteen Years Previously: Naruto

**Author's Note:** Right-O. A bit of explanation for this chapter is required, in my opinion. They is the first in a series of "Flashback Chapters." This will cover many peoples' pasts—not just Naruto's. More of them will come... Bwuahaha. Oh, and as for the quote: A light-hearted death quote... I never thought I'd see one, much less post one...

**Flashback Chapter Warnings:** Bad Japanese (my fault! ToT If anyone finds a mistake, tell me and I'll fix it), Orochimaru, and character death.

**Disclaimer:** I don't own _Naruto_. I _do_, however, own a chainsaw. So if anyone feels the need to sue me, remember that little fact.

**See-Through Masks**

**Flashback Chapter: Thirteen Years Previously – Naruto...**

"_When I die, I would like to go peacefully, in my sleep, like my Grandfather. Not screaming in terror like his passengers."_

—_Jack Handey._

**OoOoO**

Four-year-old Naruto Uzumaki stared wide-eyed at the butterfly perched on his father's large hand. How that hand could handle such fragility without it shattering in a million pieces, his young mind couldn't grasp. He had seen that hand crush thing much sturdier than a simple butterfly. He gently took the insect from his father in his own small hands.

He cradled it to his chest as he spoke. "You'll hurt him, Chichiue."

Arashi Uzumaki smiled kindly down at Naruto. "Now why would I do that, hmm?" he asked.

"Not on purpose, silly." Naruto peeked through the gap in his clasped hands. "See? He's fine with me." He held up his hands.

Arashi looked through the gap and nodded. "Yes, he is. But..."—he pulled Naruto's hands apart; the butterfly flew up into the air—"I think he would be happier up there."

Naruto crossed his arms and huffed. "But I wanted him down _here!_" He stomped his foot.

Suddenly, the young blonde was in the air with a firm grip around his waist.

"Naruto, do you want the butterfly to be happy?" his father asked as he cradled him in his arms.

A long pause, then Naruto gave a quick nod.

"Well, then, you had to let him go. How would _you_ like it if you were separated from me and your mother?"

"No!" Naruto howled, wrapping his arms around Arashi's neck. "That's not gonna happen, Chichiue!"

"I know, I know—but how would you feel?"

"Sad. Really, really, super, duper sad."

"Well then, we'll just have to stick around, won't we?" he asked, poking Naruto on the nose.

The four-year-old scrunched up his nose. He batted his father's hand away. "Yeah. You will."

"Hello, Arashi."

Naruto twisted in his father's grasp to see who had spoken.

He wished he hadn't.

The man had sickly white skin, greasy black hair that fell to his waist, and snakelike yellow eyes. He had a long, thin body and equally long, thin limbs. His thin mouth was curled into a sneer and his lumpy tongue darted out to wet his lips.

"Hello, Orochimaru." He jostled Naruto and looked down at him pointedly.

"Hello, Ojisan," the boy said, though it was slightly muffled by his father's neck.

"Yes, Naruto..." The man's sneer never left his face. "How..._pleasant_"—the word was hissed—"to see you both."

"Yes, Brother, it is such a pleasure." Arashi smiled, but Naruto could see the strained muscles of his face.

"And how is Hinako?" he asked, tipping his head slightly. Several wisps of black hair fell over his shoulders.

"My wife is fine. How are Tsunade and Jiraiya?"

"Mm...they're fine."

"Good. Would you like to...come inside?" Arashi shifted Naruto again and walked towards the door. Naruto didn't look at his uncle as they passed. The black-haired man had always scared him, and he didn't know why. He was just...frightening. Something about him was off.

"Sure," Orochimaru agreed.

They entered the small hall and Arashi locked the door behind them. Orochimaru had gone ahead of them, into the kitchen, and was sitting at the counter when they entered. Arashi set Naruto down on the counter, across from his uncle, and walked over to the refrigerator.

"Chichiue?" Naruto asked, swinging his legs and clutching the counter edge.

"Mm?"

"Can I have a glass of milk?"

Arashi nodded absently and went to fetch a glass. "So, Brother, what brings you to this side of town?"

"I just thought I'd stop by to visit. Little Naruto's birthday was yesterday, correct?" the man responded.

"That's right. He just turned four," Arashi said, handing Naruto the glass and ruffling his hair.

Naruto's nose scrunched up. "Chichiueeee."

"What?"

"Don't..."

Arashi grinned broadly. "Sorry, little man."

Naruto ignored him and tipped the glass back against his lips. He drank the contents in one go and wiped his mouth on his sleeve. "Thanks, Chichiue."

Arashi nodded.

"Konnichiwaaaaaa!" a cheery voice called from the small hallway. The clattering of high heels on hardwood and the rustling of shopping bags echoed through the small house.

"Haha!" Naruto jumped down from the counter and stumbled slightly. He righted himself and ran into the hallway. He jumped up and hugged his slim mother around the waist.

"Hello, Musuko," she said, stroking his bangs back from his face. The handles of her plastic shopping bags dug into her wrists, creating red marks.

"I'll help you, Haha!" Naruto exclaimed excitedly. He grabbed several bags and began dragging them across the floor towards the kitchen.

"Careful, honey," she called after him.

Naruto bit his tongue as he lugged the bags—why were they so _heavy?_—to the fridge. "I...got them..." He panted at the effort.

"Ah, Hinako," Orochimaru hissed through a smile. "How are you?"

She blinked and smiled nervously. "Ah...Konnichiwa, Orochimaru-san." She bowed slightly to him and set the bags on the counter.

Arashi leaned down and kissed his wife lightly.

Naruto cocked his head at the anger that flashed across Orochimaru's face. He shrugged and began unloading the bags.

"Well, Orochimaru-san, um, when did you get here?" Hinako asked, placing a packet of frozen fish in the freezer.

"Just a few minutes ago. I wanted to stop by to say hello, and to wish Naruto a happy belated birthday."

"Mm. Domo. Naruto-kun is growing up so fast, isn't he?" she cooed, sitting back on her haunches and ruffling the blonde's hair.

Naruto fought out of her grasp and crossed his arms huffily. "Why does everyone do that?" he mumbled, stomping over to the kitchen counter and sitting on the floor beneath it.

"Because you are just so cute!" Hinako giggled as she brought out a cup. "Arashi-kun, would you like some coffee?"

"I've gotta go, so I guess I'll pass, but thanks Hinako." He kissed her again. Then, he crouched in front of Naruto and held out his arms.

Naruto stuck his lower lip out and turned his head away. "No!"

Arashi's face fell slightly. "What...? Why not?"

"Because you kept ruffling my hair!" Naruto shouted.

"Aw, c'mon, Musuko. I'm not gonna see you for a few days. I'm going on a business trip," Arashi said.

"No!" Naruto yelled. "No, no, no!"

"Uzumaki Naruto," Hinako said harshly. "You say goodbye to your father. Right. Now."

"Goodbye."

"Naruto—"

"It's all right, Hinako." Arashi reached down and grabbed Naruto's hand. He shook it, smiling somewhat sadly. "I love you, Naruto. I'll see you when I get home."

Naruto continued pouting, though it was less pronounced.

"All right, then." He sighed. "See you both soon." Arashi turned to his brother. "I'll see you later, I suppose, Orochimaru. It was nice of you to drop by."

His brother nodded and shot him what could have been a smirk—or a grimace. "Yes, goodbye, Arashi."

"I love you," he said to Hinako. "I'll be back on Wednesday, okay?" He kissed her cheek. He jogged back to the bedroom and returned with a suitcase and a bag. "Bye, all!" he yelled. The click of the door shutting resounded through the quiet house.

Hinako hummed tunelessly as she packed the groceries away. "Naruto-kun?" Her bad mood was forgotten. "What would you like for—"

_BOOM!_

A horrifyingly loud crashing sound reverberated through the small house, shaking it. China plates fell from their places, shattering onto the floor. Naruto knocked his head back against the plaster of the counter and wailed loudly.

"Oh my God," Hinako whispered. "Arashi." She stood shakily from where she had fallen and ran to the door, almost falling more than once.

She threw the door open and let out a screech of pain. "_ARASHI!_" she screamed, clutching the doorframe tightly.

That was all Naruto could remember from that day. According to the doctors, he had been inconsolable for almost five hours. He had screamed bloody murder whenever someone other than his mother would come near him.

When he had finally allowed them to look him over, they realized that he had minimal smoke inhalation, and just a scrape or two from when he had fallen from the threshold in shock.

**OoOoO**

**Author's After-Note:** That was oddly fun to write—though I _did_ get all teary at one part. (What can I say? I'm a wuss.) Um...okay...who wants cookies:Holds out virtual cookie jar:

Oh, and can anyone guess why I put a butterfly in there? Huh? Huh:Poke, poke: Anyone????

Reviews will get you more cookies!

Sid. :3


	4. NOT A CHAPTER!

**THIS IS NOT A CHAPTER! I REPEAT, THIS IS NOT A CHAPTER! But it is important, so please pay attention.**

I am putting "See-Through Masks" on a temporary hiatus for two reasons:

Firstly, my flash drive killed itself. DX Well...it was sorta my fault...but it's the connector's fault for bending away from the storage part like that! I mean, how was I s'posed to prevent that? ...I miss my precious flash drive. I should have taken (countless) peoples' advice and backed up my writing—but I was being a naïve little bitch and decided that my flash drive was invincible. :(

The second reason for this horrible, atrocious hiatus is that my muse, damn you Bobby, has decided that I can only write in first-person from now on. Sexy Russian bastard. And Sally agrees with him (for once), so my third-person skills have gone caput. I MAY (and that is a very, very big MAY) stick with it for this fic—considering I already have fourteen third-person chapters for it—but it all depends on my muses. Throw things at them virtually if you protest the change that much. Anything for my loverly reviewers (however few of you there may be).

Good day, my wonderful reviewers. (If I may still call you that. D: I have fallen so low...)

Sid.


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